The field of the present invention relates to devices and methods for reducing snoring. According to the literature, a large portion of the population experiences difficulties in breathing when sleeping resulting primarily in snoring or sleep apnea. There have been many methods and devices proposed or attempted to reduce or prevent snoring. Many of the devices are highly uncomfortable and most of the devices include other disadvantages such as high expense, complicated fitting procedures, and inaccurate adjustment mechanism.
The sounds associated with snoring are generally produced by the vibration of soft tissue as air passes through the rear portion of the mouth.
The present inventor has recognized that much of the noise of snoring is accentuated by retrusion of the lower jaw (the mandible) relative to the upper teeth. Retrusion is the tendency of the lower jaw to slump rearwardly, particularly when the person is sleeping on his/her back thereby causing narrowing of the posterior pharyngeal space and restriction of air flow through the back of the mouth. Such restriction of the airway may increase the sound of snoring. Further restriction may be caused by rearward retrusion of the tongue. The present inventor has recognized that certain devices are designed to prevent retrusion of the lower jaw, i.e., rearward movement of the lower jaw from the at rest and intercuspal (ICP) positions. The present inventor, however, has also recognized that protrusion or forward movement of the lower jaw from the relaxed and ICP stage is desirable to prevent or reduce the noise of snoring.